


late night rendez-vous

by amonn1a



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: A bit of angst but not really, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Playful teasing, Tenderness, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, ash and eiji being idiots at night, brief mentions of 80's music, might edit later hehe, thought it looked cute, yes this is set in the 80's
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-10-20 20:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20681462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amonn1a/pseuds/amonn1a
Summary: after a long day of running some errands around New York, Ash was waiting to return and spend time with Eiji





	late night rendez-vous

**Author's Note:**

> Please take into consideration that this one is intended to take place somewhere around the chapter 60 and 62 of the manga, when they had just moved into the new appartment but before the introduction of Blanca.

"Hey, Ash!" He got no response, as expected. _Little lazy Ash_.

"_Asshu_!” he tried again.

Ash just groaned as he curled underneath the sheets, "What time is it?"

“9 am.” Eiji just observed Ash waiting for him to wake up, but he just kept his position, his mouth moving slightly as if he was saying something to himself. Eiji just pulled the bedsheets in a rapid move just chaotic enough to make Ash get up. He rubbed his eyes observing how Eiji folded the sheets, waiting for the light to properly adjust. The curtains were opened as he sighed. 

Mornings were always so hard, he always felt immensely tired and you could bet nothing nor no one would be able to wake him up entirely, with Eiji being the only exception and Ash has just started to notice that thanks to overhearing small pieces of conversations from his other gang mates; in a certain way he liked that everyone also liked Eiji. He remembers how Eiji once expressed his worries about being a burden for him and the rest of the gang, but how can this wonderful human being consider himself as a burden? He really doubted Eiji said that out of humbleness. He wanted Eiji to look at himself the way he does, ironically Eiji also wished the same for Ash. 

Ash got a bit lost in his thoughts while looking at Eiji go across the room to open a drawer, he knew that breakfast was ready yet food could wait a little longer. _Just another small moment inside the bedroom_, he begged. A hand waived at his face.

“How come you’re still asleep?” asked Eiji trying to not laugh at Ash’s face struggling to keep his eyes open. Ash instantly reacted and got a bit defensive.

“I’m awake; you just blinded me with…” (_Your light?_) “… Those... curtains.”

Ash got up from bed and put on the shirt Eiji handed him, got out of the bedroom and went to the kitchen where breakfast was indeed on the table. He sat and smelled the scent of not hot but warm food, he was in love with the genuine gentle care that Eiji was giving him and just this morning reminded him of that beautiful feeling. Last night he mentioned before going to bed that he’ll be busy with some business around the city, he even invited him to come along if he wanted to and that’s when he mentioned it again:

“That sounds great, but I don’t want to bother you, maybe other day” and even though he gave him a soft smile as to comfort him that he wasn’t self-loathing at all. Ash knew he was doing it again, lying about being ok with that particular smile, that particular smile where only his lips were the ones that curved but his eyes weren’t even able to express the same. He just simply relaxed and replied: 

“I can tell the guys to come over, so you don’t get bored, you’d like that?” He cupped his cheek with his hand, and he couldn’t think about why he did that. If Eiji started to cry, his thumb would already be in place to wipe away his tears, but Eiji wouldn’t cry in this situation and he was sure about it; if Eiji wanted to avoid eye-contact his hand would move his face so he would face him, but Eiji wouldn’t avoid it since he’d wanted to assure him that he was ok. Ash only cupped his cheek with his hand instinctively and he even stroked it for a second, _why had he done that?_.

“Sure! Tell them” this time he smiled genuinely, they probably talked more but it was probably not recalled in the same way dreams tend to be after waking up.

Eiji sat in front of him and began eating too all while he stared at Ash. He couldn’t stop smiling softly and just dropped the fork in the table and covered his face. Ash was... he didn’t know how to react to that but it was pleasant to look at. 

Eiji took a breath, he was going to say something. 

“So...” he smiled, if he didn’t contain himself he’ll probably burst into laughing. “_Someone is going out today_”, he finished the sentence in a playful tone. 

“Yes... I see that you clearly remember” the other answered slowly, processing where was this heading to. “Are you...?”

“No, nothing... nothing. Just buy something for me, ok?”, he took a piece of his omelette and continued to eat it at the pace he previously was.

“Something like...?” 

“Anything” he shrugged.“Just something that makes you think of me.” 

“Eiji, you know that even small animals are not allowed in this building”, he joked subtly. 

“I never said... something that is alive...” he forgot the word.

“Living creature?” Ash suggested.

“Yes”, he nodded slightly. “I never asked for a living creature, just... just bring me _something_.”

_Something_? Why would Eiji ask for the most ambiguous yet specific thing? Ash surely could think about a couple of things that reminded him of Eiji: mostly small animals (which he, of course, couldn’t bring to the apartment), sometimes he’d be reminded of Eiji when he saw an athletic guy in an ad while walking on the street, but he couldn’t just bring him a picture of someone else. It certainly be easier if Eiji came along with him and helped him choose it, mostly because he’d be sure that he’d like it. He was surely making a great deal about it, at least internally. _But just watch him go... what certain object could represent the way he stands up, the way he cleans up after himself or slightly strokes my hair as he walks past beside me…?_

Eiji was just leaving the kitchen when Ash realised that he had leaved the table, he turned to speak to him.

“Eiji?”

“Finish your breakfast.” He also turned to face him. “I’ll go take a shower.”

Ash rapidly stood up from his chair, and Eiji ran to the bathroom.

“No, Eiji! You always run out of all the hot water!”, Ash complained loudly as he followed him. Eiji took some clothes out of the drawer before he could be stopped.

“Well! If you want a hot shower so much, would you like to come and join me?”, He replied back loudly before closing the door in front of him.

Ash’s eyes widened by the sound of the door closing. 

“Yes Eiji! That’d actually be very nice!”

He answered back one more time; defeated in his quest to get a nice hot shower, he just leaned against the wall and slowly slid to sit on the floor, hiding his head between his knees. 

_Join him?!_ Is that another thing that’s normal in Japan? Was that for real? Could he really just enter and shower (with him)?. Ash knew that Eiji wouldn’t try anything suspicious if he entered. They would just shower, after all. Words are not always meant to be taken at face value, but Eiji’s tone was laced with certain ambiguity that caught Ash off guard. He stayed there, confused, trying to not loathe himself for having the thought cross his mind. 

The door beside him opened, Eiji came out drying his hair with a towel. Ash lifted his face to see Eiji. He noticed Ash was seated on the floor and sitted down next to him. 

“You look nice on my shirt”, Ash observed softly.

“You think so? All my other clothes were dirty but forgot to ask you if I could…”

“You know you can use mine whenever you want”

“Thanks” they both smirked.

Ash rested his head on Eiji’s shoulder for a moment, while his hand looked for Eiji’s. He stroke it first, as if to ask permission to hold it for a second and then held it, their fingers intertwined. Ash suddenly had an idea about what he could get for Eiji today. He brought Eiji’s hand close to his lips, gave him a quick kiss and returned it to his original place. He stood up.

“It’s my turn to shower”. Ash offered Eiji a hand so he could also stand up. He nodded and took it. 

“I think there’s a bit of hot water left” Eiji mentioned as Ash entered the bathroom. 

“Oh”, Ash didn’t expect that. “Thanks, I guess”. He closed the bathroom door.

The water started to run and Eiji was right. Maybe it was luck or Eiji had really made sure to leave some for him. In any way he couldn’t complain. The sound of the water running on his head blended along with the TV that was on in the other room; morning cartoons, Eiji was watching them or more accurately, listening them while doing the dishes.

He noticed Ash hadn’t finished his breakfast again.

“Ash! Do you want me to put your breakfast on the fridge?” Eiji asked loudly.

“Yes, please!” He replied from the bathroom.

“Ok!”

While he placed Ash’s breakfast on the recipient he looked at his hand and a tingly sensation reminded his skin the quick touch of Ash’s lips. He wanted to kiss his hand too.

The sound of the shower stopped only to be followed by the loud sound of the hair dryer. Ash was very diligent on getting his hair right and while he didn’t want to mention it, Eiji out of pure curiosity once tried styling his hair in a similar way to Ash; he wasn’t proud of the result. 

The doorbell rang. Alex, Bones and Kong were beside the door, they came unexpectedly early meaning that the intimate atmosphere that was created between the both of them was evaporated. Ash heard them enter and being greeted by Eiji while he was inside the bedroom; is not that he was selfish for wanting to always spend time with Eiji whenever he could or that he didn’t liked him being around others, he just felt more comfortable and capable of being himself with him when no one else was around. It was only on those brief moments that he allowed himself to be perfectly open for him and even there he felt some sort of restraint that shouldn’t be there.  _ I feel like he’ll never truly know what I think or feel… and it’s all gonna be my fault for not being able to speak. _ Worry do not, later on the day you’ll have him once more. 

Ash exited the bedroom set to go. He approached his mates and thanked them for being there.

“Ay, good morning boss!” Said Alex as he saw Ash coming through.

“Hey, Alex” they both exchanged their special handshake. “Bones”, they exchanged another. “Kong”, and they exchanged one as well. 

“You going already?” Asked Kong.

“Yeah, I was just waiting for you guy to get here”. He walked to the door and Eiji followed him. 

Before opening the door, they exchanged a few words.

“You sure you don’t want to go?” Asked Ash while placing a hand on Eiji’s shoulder.

“Yes, I told you to don’t worry” he took Ash’s hand on his shoulder and returned the kiss he had previously gave him. He got a bit closer and brought his ear close to his lips stroking a bit of his blonde hair in the process.

“In fact, don’t forget it’s your turn to bring dinner tonight” Ash could feel a slight smirk formed in Eiji’s lips. “You promised last night”.

“I did?”

“Hmn” he nodded.

“Ok, I’ll bring you dinner” 

Despite not wanting to, he let go of Eiji’s hug and gave him just a last look before exiting the door.

“Have fun!”, was the last thing he said before leaving that morning.

  
  


The whole ‘play date’ (as Ash would call it) was full of snacks, tapes they’ve brought part of a big watchlist of movies prepared for Eiji along with some board games as well, and while they had fun chatting and playing Ash was busy with his usual business, checking the state of some parts of his area; if it had once been just a plain routine that he wouldn’t give much thought to it had now turned into a big task that he just wanted to end already. Being alert of his surroundings, checking on some people became too hard, or perhaps not hard but it wasn’t something he didn’t felt like doing. He wanted to return already but he couldn’t allowed himself to do so. Something easier to do was to look for Eiji’s gift and that’s what made him easier to go through the day. Every time he’d start to feel tired he’d start to look for something for Eiji instead, despite having a clear idea of what he wanted to buy him the distraction was felt relieving. 

_Would he wear this shirt? This fragrance would smell nice on his hair. He said he wanted more of these..._

Was he looking at things Eiji definitely didn’t need at all? Yes, of course he was. Associating Eiji with different things from those stores became his new hobby.

“Are you interested in any of the items in display, sir?” Asked the saleswoman when he saw Ash carefully examining the cameras on the counter. 

“Yes, do you have any camera cases?” He asked with genuine interest.

“We do, for which model would you like?” 

“Uh…” Ash had seen Eiji’s camera a few times and yet he didn’t know the name. “It looks like this one”, he pointed at one out of the ones that were displayed, just to make sure it was the right one he gave it a quick look for a second time. “Yes, it’s like this one”.

“Ok, for that specific model we have this case”, she showed Ash. It was made of leather, he’ll probably use it for a long time, it was a very useful gift. Eiji would surely like it.

“We also have this other…” She was going to get another one but Ash stopped her.

“I like the first one. I’ll take it”. The saleswoman nodded.

“May I ask, is this a gift?”

“It is…” he smiled. Buying something for him made feel good.

“In that case we can wrap it up for you”.

“No, no… it’s fine”

After buying the case he stayed on the store for a couple more minutes, he could return with Eiji some other day and continue shopping. _Is this how wealthy feel when buying things?_ It’d be nice to enjoy more of the benefits of his ‘Chris’ persona. 

He checked the hour, it was earlier than he planned to but he needed to return, it was the only right thing to do considering he already was carrying shopping bag with him and it wouldn’t be the same to run with his hands full. He took a cab to return.

On the ride back there was some relief on his part, the driver was silent and that was perfect, he didn’t felt like engaging on a conversation, he just wanted to return. He looked at the streets through the window, people moving to get to other place, some walking faster than others, were they also on their way to see someone they care about? 

He thanked the driver and exited the cab and continued his way doing the usual, greeting the guard, using the elevator and walking to his door. He rang the doorbell and was it was Bones who opened the door, not Eiji, to his surprise.

“Hey”, he said as he walked in. Ash tried to not be so obvious he was looking for Eiji but it really showed. 

“Eiji’s sleeping; he was tired” said Alex, who was the first one to notice that Ash’s lack of subtlety. Ash just nodded as he took of his coat.

“Was everything alright?”

“Yeah, we just played and watched some movies”, answered Kong.

“Ok then, thanks for coming” he thanked politely before going to the bedroom to see Eiji. “You can go now”.

They got what he meant.

Ash slowly opened the door so he didn’t wake up Eiji, but the lights were on and Eiji was silently reading. He did noticed Ash entering but didn’t say anything and kept on reading with his earphones on while lying on the bed. Ash approached silently and sitted next to him, looked at him for a moment and took Eiji’s headphones.

“Hey!” Eiji slightly protested. 

Ash put them on to see what he was listening to. Foreign words talking about things he could understand yet not comprehend, it was confusing, mostly because he wasn’t used to listening to music in other languages; it was just him and that voice. Eiji closed the comic he was reading and stood up to look for a second pair of headphones since Ash took his away, he looked at Ash, who was silent listening the same as him.

“Are you enjoying Matsubara-san?”

“That’s her name?”

“Hmn, Matsubara Miki”.

Eiji sat next to him after finding a second pair and plugged them to keep listening. Ash stayed in silence for a couple more seconds until the song finished. He found himself with a bit of curiosity regarding the lyrics.

“What is the song about?”

Eiji’s eyes lightened, he never expected that Ash would ever listen nor find interest in the music he brought from Japan.

“Oh, this one’s a bit old”, he chuckled. “She’s singing about someone who’s leaving, and that’s why she’s asking them to ‘stay with her’, she’s asking it to someone she loves and… she’ll never forget…” He stopped for a moment, Ash was staring deeply at him and while it didn’t make him nervous he couldn’t stop himself from also staring at him. They were both looking at each other while the next song played on Eiji’s Walkman. Their hands slowly found their way into each other, not a single word was exchanged, verbally at least.

Their foreheads touched.

“Eiji…” He whispered.

He maintained eye contact as a way to answer to his name.

“Have you ever danced?” 

“With someone else?”

“Yes, have you ever danced with someone else, Eiji?” 

“No”

“I also haven’t”, he chuckled. What was he thinking? Both of them didn’t know how to dance, what would they do? Where they just going to slowly move while clinged onto one another?

“Can… Can we dance?” Eiji requested.

“Come here” Ash said while he placed the Walkman on Eiji’s back pocket while he was standing up, never letting go of his hand. Ash wrapped his arms around Eiji’s waist and Eiji’s wrapped his around Ash’s neck. The music still played on their headphones as they moved but it was easier to hear their own breathing. The sweet and soothing aroma of Eiji’s hair was making him feel better after all the time he’s been waiting to be with him again since he parted. 

As they were slowly moving, Ash softly murmured on Eiji’s ear.

“How was your day?”

“It was nice, how was yours?”

“I’ll tell you later, I want to hear you first”.

“Well… after you left the guys brought some movies, have you seen Sixteen Candles?”

Ash wasn’t all that literate regarding current cinema, he has heard about some of them but really hasn’t sit down and _watch it_.

“Not really, is it good?” 

“I liked it”.

“I’m thinking… maybe we should go to the movies sometime, would you like that?”

“Yes.” The thought crossed his mind. “Like a date?”

“It really sounds like one, doesn’t it?” A small laugh escaped from his mouth. 

“Yeah, your _movie date_ sounds nice”, he also laughed.

Ash stopped for a second moving around with him for a second and grabbed Eiji’s shoulders tightly.

“Eiji, I want you to close your eyes”

“Why?” He snorted.

“Just trust me in this one”, as if Eiji didn’t trust him in any situation already. Naturally he closed his eyes as he was told to meanwhile Ash took of his headphones and went to the other side of the room to look for the bag with Eiji’s gift.

“Is it because I asked you to buy something for me in the morning? That wasn’t necessary” Eiji said, with his eyes still closed.

“No, no. It _was_ necessary” Ash replied as he placed the case for the camera on Eiji’s hands.

Eiji opened his eyes and brought the case closer to his face to examine better each and every side.

“Thank you!” Eiji was really happy, words weren’t even capable to appear on his mouth, a little tear appeared on one of his eyes which he immediately wiped off. Eiji rapidly went looking for the camera to try it on. 

“Ash, I’m sorry but you bought the wrong one” he said while hiding the camera behind him.

“Really?!”

“No, no”, he laughed. “I’m joking, it’s perfect”, perfect as the embrace they were in.

“You know what’s also perfect?”

“You remembered dinner?”

“I did”

He didn’t, he went to McDonalds before returning, but sometimes a nice dinner is more enjoyable with fries and a carelessly made burger. 

“What did you buy?” 

“Something that will make you happy”, a happy meal. “Let’s go to the kitchen”.

On the kitchen table Ash placed two plates and the two sodas as well leaving the bag in the middle.

“What’s this?” Eiji asked as he opened the bag and saw the red box. “_Happi Setto?_”

“Happy meal” he corrected him and took the box of his hands and opened it. He noticed Eiji’s confusion. “And before you say anything, this is a very normal dinner”.

He wasn’t going to give much thought on the fact that he just called it a “normal dinner”, for now he was to enjoy the very delicious dinner he had brought him. Just for tonight he was not going to get concerned about the fact that Ash was only eating nuggets and that probably that’s the only thing that he has eaten today aside from breakfast, this was dinner between two people who have been desperately waiting all day to see each others again.

_Thanks for staying with me._

  
  
  
  



End file.
